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FAQs

How did you get the name ‘Calan’ ?

The name ‘Calan’ is a combination of Alan’s wife’s name ‘Carol’ and ‘Alan’. Carol was instrumental in the beginning in helping Alan in caring for the horses and other animals that initially came into the sanctuary’s care.  

Do you take in any horse?

The sanctuary is primarily run by 82 year old Alan Gent whose home is also on the property.  Horses live for an average of 25-30 years. Alan is the sole caretaker and steward of the 19 horses including all the animals and he does this 24/7 so it is not possible to take in more horses and to highlight the problem of unwanted horses just in this region- he’s had over 400 requests to take in a horse. Few people realize the commitment and dedication it takes for one man to care for not only the 19 horses now, but also the other animal residents.  The horses here are generally last-chance horses who require a great deal of rehabilitation and/or medical care and are in grave need of human kindness.  Alan has to spread himself across all of these animals from the crack of dawn to dusk and through all seasons to make sure everyone is fed, medicated, hooves trimmed and so forth.

I have items to donate.  What kind of items does Calan Horse Sanctuary need and where can I drop them off or mail them to you?

We prefer items that are new or slightly worn due to sanitation purposes and because we want to ensure the safety and hygiene of all of our horses.  There are horses of all different sizes here and most are elderly so we want to make sure such things as rugs are warm, waterproof and that fly veils are not torn.  That said, we need:

  • Horse rugs- Summer and Winter
  • Fly veils
  • Neck rugs
  • Farrier tools in good nick
  • Brooms
  • Grooming brushes
  • Bot knives

To deliver or mail any items please contact Alan Gent first
Phone:  +61 0408 907 112
Email: alan_gent@bigpond.com

I would like to donate feed and hay

We always need feed and hay.  Contact Alan and he’ll give you further information and where to buy and/or deliver.

I would like to support and/or contribute to CHS

Great! You can contact Alan on his phone or email above or you can make a financial donation to Calan Horse Sanctuary by depositing into the Bridging Communities Inc., bank account – please note ‘CHS’ on your bank transfer so that they can track the donation and allocate to us. The BSB is: 066 000 and the ACCOUNT is: 11575490.

What do I do if I find a horse that’s neglected, abandoned or in need of a home?

Depending on where you live, you’re best bet is to call your local RSPCA and/or you can Google ‘horse rescue’ and your state. They may have more readily available options for you.  Here are a few resources that we found that might be helpful although you’d have to check them out yourselves:

Western Australia

Northern Territory

  • RSPCA DARWIN +61 8 8984 3795
  • RSPCA ALICE SPRINGS +61 8 8984 3795

Queensland

Victoria

New South Wales

Tasmania

  • RSPCA TASMANIA 1 300 139 947
  • TASMANIAN HORSE RESCUE AND REHABILITATION ORGANISATION (THRRO) + 61 4 5714 7428

Australian Capital Territory

  • RSPCA ACT + 61 2 6287 8100
  • CAPITAL HORSE REHOMING +61 4 2067 4536

South Australia

I would like to visit the sanctuary.  Do I have to make an appointment?

Yes! We welcome your visit however as you can imagine, feeding over 24+ animals, especially older, needy horses means Alan is on a tight schedule.  We wouldn’t want anyone getting ‘hangry’ if their brekky or tea was delayed!  Call or email your request directly to Alan.

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